Goodbye, Aerith
by Kyon-kun Choreboy of the World
Summary: Zack's final battle, thoughts, and memories as he fights to protect Cloud, he thinks about his unrequited love to Aerith. Because of the lack of ZackXAerith and there being more ZackXCloud or other variations, I have written this.


I carried Cloud a bit further. I don't know how much longer we can go. I looked ahead. Damn. SHINRA soldiers. There were God knows how many soldiers out there. I couldn't take them all down, but I can damn well try! I wasn't going to let Cloud die here, and I had to see Aerith, again! To keep my promise! I walked forward, and took my sword off of my back, almost in slow motion. Angeal gave me this sword... I want to have those wings, like you, Angeal... I walked forward, and lowered my sword a little bit. I ran and slashed upwards toward a soldier. "You bastards won't take Cloud away from me!" They continued shooting, but I dodged the bullets. I slashed up, then flipped the sword around and slashed sideways.

"_Angeal! What the hell is a 'Stupid Apple?'"_

"_It's known as a White Banora. Once a year, you can pick them off the trees. The people of my village are quite fond of them, and named it the Stupid Apple."_

I continued to fight on, not giving up anytime soon. I felt weaker as the battle carried on. Damn, I wouldn't die here!

"_Heaven?"_

"_No such luck. This is a church in the slums."_

"_An Angel?"_

"_I'm Aerith. You came falling from above."_

"_So you saved my life?"_

"_No, not really. All I did was, 'Hellooooo!'"_

"_Thanks so much, Aerith."_

I knew it. I had to go back to her, to the slums. But first, I had to save Cloud. A bullet entered my left arm, but I ignored the pain. Not giving up, now! Not now, not ever! Not until I die!

"_Aerith... I'll come back for you."_

"_You promise?"_

"_Yes, I promise."_

I felt tears go down my eyes. My vision was blurry with tears. Angeal, Aerith, Cloud...

Angeal died for me. And I have to do the same for Aerith and Cloud, if need be.

_I sat there, crying. I must've seemed pretty embarrassing._

_I heard Aerith talking, but couldn't pay attention._

_She walked over to me, and hugged me from behind as I sobbed._

_Angeal..._

"_Thank you." I said._

_She continued to hug me, and I started feeling better already._

_This, Angel, for lack of a better word, was such a beautiful person._

_She gives a damn about what happens to others, not like some of those assholes at Shinra. Those assholes that are the reason Angeal is _**DEAD!**

_They made me kill him..._

_My best friend. My mentor, my hero._

_One of the few people close to me..._

I was sobbing heavily now, and I'm sure several of the soldiers noticed it, and were shocked by it.

"Dammit!" I shouted as I continued to fight.

It got darker and darker as the sun began to set.

I will not lose! I must make it to Midgar!

"_You say it's only a little, but really it's a lot, isn't it?"_

"_Yup! Will you hear me out?"_

"_How many is it?"_

"_Umm... 23?"_

"_Write it down on paper, so I don't forget."_

23 wishes, huh, Aerith? One thing you wanted the most... Was to be with me more. I wish I could give that to you, Aerith, but as this battle rages on, I don't think I'll be able to give it to you. I'm so sorry, Aerith... I truly am.

I slash at the soldiers, and see only a few remain. I am bleeding heavily, covered in blood, and slice at a few. I can't stop thinking about Aerith. I keep flashing back to the days I spent with her, loving her, wanting to always be with her, but sadly, couldn't... Only... Three... Left...

AERITH!

"_Aerith... I... I'm sorry."_

"_Huh? For what?"_

"_That... I couldn't be with you, more."_

"_That's all right! I know your job makes you busy..."_

"_Aerith..."_

_She leans towards me, and hugs me. I hug her back, and never want to let go. Never, again, do I want to leave her._

I collapse on the ground.

When I wake up, I see Cloud crawling towards me. The enemy soldiers are gone. Dammit, I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Cloud...

"My part till now..." I tell him.

"Your part?" he asks me.

"That's right, you are..."

"...You are?"

I grab Cloud's blonde hair and pull him towards me.

"Live!" I command.

I hold his face to my bloody chest.

"You're... The evidence that I lived," I tell him.

"My pride and dreams," I lift up my sword.

"Have them all,"

He holds the sword.

"...I'm... The evidence that you lived..."

I smile a bit, and close my eyes. I feel the rain going harder, and hear Cloud scream out. I feel his tears pitter patter against my chest and my face. I'm sorry, Cloud. I loved you as a brother, and will never forget you. Please, don't forget me.

"Grasp your dream! If you want to be a hero, you'll have to grasp your dream!" I say as the rain begins to disappear

"Thanks... I won't forget..." He tells me, and I can tell he is saddened.

"Good night," he tells me, as I enter my eternal sleep.

"Zack."

As he walks away, I feel happy.

Aerith, she said that the sky frightened her. As I thought, it feels beautiful.

I open my eyes and see a Stupid Apple.

Those wings...

Give them to me, too, Angeal.

I grasp my hand towards his, and let him pull me up into the sky. I say my final words.

"Would you say, I became a hero?"

I wonder, hoping my dream has become complete.

I love you, Aerith, I love you so much, and wish that I could only see your smile, one last time...

I hope Cloud meets Aerith, and tells her I'm sorry for leaving her, and regret it.

I see wings flutter below me, and finally, rise up into the heavens and enter the lifestream.

Perhaps, someday, I'll meet you again, Aerith. In the lifestream. Until then, good bye. I will never forget you.

_A few years have passed, and I feel like something is starting, again. I watch Aerith pray in the streets, then walk away with her flowers. A few cars pass by, and I sense something great is happening soon. It has begun. Cloud shall live on, and become a hero. Cloud is on a train, sword on his back, mimicking one of my earlier actions._

"_I am Cloud._

_SOLDIER. First Class."_

_He says quietly as he crouches on the top of the train._

_Cloud, protect Aerith for me. Because I sense something is going to happen to her, and I hope you will be there to save her._

_~Zack Fair_

_SOLDIER, First Class_


End file.
